Eastern Gray Squirrel Habits

Eastern Gray Squirrel Habits

Birdwatchers know, the minute a bird feeder is in place, the
Gray Squirrel will most likely be the first visitor.

Whether you find them frustrating or fascinating, they are a
part of the birdwatchers backyard.

Description

Measuring about 17 to 20 inches long. They have grayish-brown
fur, except for their bellies, which have pale fur. The tail often has
silvery-tipped hairs at the end.

In Canada, some have rufous bellies and tails. Black phase
is common in northern parts of its range.

Mating Habits

During the mating season which is twice a year, December to
January and June to July, a type of chasing occurs.

The female gives off a scent that attracts males. A line of
males can be seen chasing one female. The ones immediately behind her are the
more dominant males, and one will probably be allowed to breed with her.

Their home or nest is a leafy nest located in a cavity or
fork of a tree.

These are preferred home sites, especially for winter and for
nurseries, because they provide good protection from weather and enemies.

Leaf nests are usually built in the tops of large trees and
consist of a rough twig framework with a bulky pile of leaves heaped layer upon
layer.

The squirrel hollows out a nest cavity in the center of the
leaves.

Gray squirrels pregnancy requires about 45 days, one to
eight young comprise a litter, but two or three are most common.

The young are hairless at birth, have their eyes and ears
closed, and possess well developed claws. They come out of the nest for the
first time when 6 to 7 weeks old, and in another week or so are weaned.

Feeding Habits

In summer, you will notice that gray squirrels are most active
at your feeders in the early morning and then again in midafternoon; during the
middle of the day they rest.

In the winter, when the days are shorter, noontime is their
peak activity time.

The primary natural foods of these creatures are nuts;
fruits and buds of hickory, pecan,walnut, elm and mulberry trees; and field corn.

To bury a nut, a gray squirrel digs a hole about 3 to 4
inches deep, puts the nut inside, pushes it down whith its nose, and then pulls
the soil over it with its front paws.

When it wants to retrieve the nut, it goes to the general
area and locates it either by the smell or by its own scent, which was left when
it buried the nut with its nose.

Gray Squirrel Territory

The range of this animal consist of several acres that overlap
the home ranges of other squirrels. Although they seldom travel farther than 200
yards from home in any one season.

They do not defend these territories. However, there is a
dominance hierachy with others of the same species. In general, older males are
dominant over females and younger squirrels.